Conservative Representative Introduces “Tennessee Anti-Grooming Act” To Protect Children From Sexual Abuse

Image Credit: The Woodshed Podcast – Jody Barrett & Antony-22 / CC

The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –

Representative Jody Barrett (R-Dickson-District 69) has filed the “Tennessee Anti-Grooming Act” aimed at creating a new offense for grooming minors to try and preempt the sexual abuse of children before it ever happens.

HB2317’s purpose is “to protect minors from sexual exploitation by criminalizing grooming behavior and supplementing existing child protection laws” through the creation of a Class E Felony offense for any adult who engages in the practice of grooming a child for sexual exploitation. 

If the offender holds a position of trust, authority, or supervision over the victim at the time of the offense, the classification is upgraded to a Class D felony. If the offender has a prior conviction for sexual offense, violent or not, the offense becomes a Class C felony. Grooming becomes a Class B felony if the victim is considered a “mentally compromised individual” and a Class A felony if the minor is under 13 years old.

In the legislation, “grooming” is defined as “an act, pattern of acts, or communication by an adult with a minor or mentally compromised individual, by any medium including electronic communication, messaging, social media, text, telephone, or in person, that is intended to establish trust, secrecy, emotional connection, or control with a minor or mentally compromised individual with the intent to:

• Entice, lure, or solicit the minor or mentally compromised individual to engage in sexual contact, simulated sexual contact, or exploitation,
• Prepare, condition, or acclimate the minor or mentally compromised individual for sexual contact or exploitation,
• Or facilitate the commission of a sexual offense against the minor.”

And along with those who practice grooming in Tennessee, the act would subject to prosecution any person who initiates grooming practices with a minor in the state even if the offender does not reside in Tennessee.

Barrett discussed the bill on his podcast The Woodshed earlier this week, saying, “We’ve heard horrible story after horrible story of minor children being abused, whether that’s by teachers or coaches or clergy member or even family members, whatever the case may be. And almost all of them have some sort of ramp-up period where that child was groomed over a period of time by that adult to make them susceptible or open them up to the potential for sexual abuse. 

And so, with this bill, we should not, as a state, certainly I wouldn’t as a parent, and I shouldn’t as a legislator, be content to sit back and wait until that perpetrator actually acts on that impulse and abuses that child before we charge them with a crime. And so we will create, with this bill, the new crime of ‘grooming’ in Tennessee so that we, perhaps, hopefully, can stop some of this before it happens and charge these folks with a felony for even attempting to groom and sexually abuse a child. We’ll get into the details of that as we start presenting that bill, having those discussions with all of the interested parties as well.”

The Tennessee Conservative has published many stories corroborating Rep. Barrett’s statements about those who participate in grooming practices, particularly of abuse by teachers, coaches, and others in the public education system. For a selection of those articles, click here.

HB2317 has been assigned to the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee and the Senate companion, SB2566 by Sen. Janice Bowling, has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Both await hearing dates.

About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.